Four Deaths to Die
by Anam-Cara
Summary: A demon forces Piper to relive the same day over again three times in a desperate attempt to stop a death: the death of one of her sisters
1. Part 1: Day One

Title: Four Deaths to Die  
  
Author: Kristin (serpico)  
  
Disclaimer: These characters absolutely don't belong to me.  
  
Summary: A demon forces Piper to relive the same day over again three times in a desperate attempt to stop a death: the death of one of her sisters  
  
*~*~*~* "Sisters are connected throughout their lives by a special bond... whether they try to ignore it or not. For better or for worse, sisters remain sisters, until death do them part."  
  
Brigid McConville *~*~*~*  
  
Sometimes silence was comforting in a city where noise invaded every inch of your life.  
  
And other times, like tonight, the silence did anything but comfort. If she laid there still enough, she could almost hear the stir of demons. Not the ones that hit and burned and electrocuted and stabbed; but the ones that crept at your consciousness and whispered doubts in your mind on those days when your life finally seemed to start making sense and everything was happy and good and normal.  
  
It was only 3 a.m. but Paige knew that trying to fall asleep again at this point would be futile. Remnants of a disturbed sleep still lingered at the edges of her mind and she fought to remember the date. With a startling reality, she remembered that today was her birthday, bringing upon her another year of uncertainty, regret, and that lingering feeling of loneliness that seemed to pervade her life more frequently then she cared to dwell on at the moment.  
  
Somedays she wondered if she'd ever reach a point where she wouldn't be "the new sister", the "replacement"; if one day she'd wake up and she'd talk to her sisters and there wouldn't be an awkwardness, there would just be...love; love and comfort and that feeling you had between people when it seemed your lives connected on a level that was beyond anything superficial.  
  
One day she wished that she could just be hugged and loved and all the things she'd always wished for in her childhood.  
  
Maybe what she wanted was something she already had...maybe she was just too insecure to see it right now. And maybe that doubt she had was sound; or maybe, she thought to herself with a smile, I should stop worrying so much and get happy because today is all about me!  
  
Reaching for the robe draped haphazardly over her chair, she threw it over her shoulders and softly tiptoed down the stairs, intent on reaching the kitchen without disturbing her sisters' slumber.  
  
Adeptly opening the cabinet doors, Paige searched for her old favorite on nights when consciousness came early: hot chocolate. It was warm and familiar and just what she needed.  
  
So engrossed was she in her mission, she failed to notice her older sister arriving sleepy-eyed behind her.  
  
"Paige?"  
  
Almost spilling the contents of her mug, Paige jumped slightly at the sound breaking the silence of the kitchen.  
  
"Piper, you scared me."  
  
"Yes, I can see that," she indicated, gazing at Paige's hand clutched in fright over her heart.  
  
Paige set the Swiss Miss mix on the counter and brushed her sleep-tousled hair away from her eyes.  
  
"Well, I-I couldn't sleep....so..."  
  
Piper seated herself at the table and cut Paige off with a knowing remark. "So you went for the old reliable: hot chocolate."  
  
Paige raised her eyebrows and Piper continued, "Well, traditionally, I know, warm milk is considered in aiding forms of insomnia, but personally, I've always been partial to a warm mug of that chocolatey goodness."  
  
Paige smiled and that sense of comfort she'd been hoping for started erasing some of the doubt still clinging to her mind.  
  
"Me too. So, want some?"  
  
Piper ran a hand through her hair and blew a sigh out of the side of her mouth. "Eh, sure, why not?"  
  
Paige set about making two mugs of hot chocolate, wondering if her sister remembered what today was. Of course, did it really matter at three in the morning? Birthday celebrations were generally reserved for a time when normal people arose and the sun was hanging in the sky.  
  
Stirring the hot water in, she placed a mug in front of Piper and sat across from her.  
  
Piper glanced down at the liquid in front of her and frowned. "No marshmallows?"  
  
Paige shrugged. "I looked, I guess we're out."  
  
That silence hung between them and Paige couldn't tell if it was an awkward silence or one merely founded on the simple fact that their brains had yet to start functioning with a normal level of wakefullness yet.  
  
Piper's warm, comforting hand reached out to squeeze her younger sister's.  
  
"So, if I remember correctly-which, in all likelihood might be impossible at this time of the morning-I do believe my baby sister is turning...15, is it, today?"  
  
"Don't get cheeky, flattery will get you everywhere," Paige replied, winking.  
  
Piper slapped her arm playfully and sipped the last drop of hot cocoa. "You're getting more and more like me everyday...I'm not sure whether to be proud or afraid."  
  
Paige downed her last drop and grabbed Piper's empty mug, setting both in the sink, smiling to herself.  
  
"What are you grinning about over there?"  
  
Paige resumed her spot by Piper and rested her head in her hand.  
  
"Oh well, it's just...well, I'm embarassed really to say, but, let's just say I was worrying about something that I suddenly realized I didn't need to."  
  
Piper frowned and grabbed Paige's hand, squeezing it. "Worried? About what, Paige?"  
  
Paige smiled nervously. "Nothing, Piper, really."  
  
Piper wasn't convinced. She stood up, still holding Paige's hand, and walked the both of them to the couch.  
  
As they sat down, Paige yawned and looked pleadingly at Piper in an effort to halt any further discussion.  
  
"I think that cocoa did the trick. I wanna catch a few more hours of sleep if I can."  
  
Piper reluctantly agreed but remarked, "Fine. But we'll continue this discussion later."  
  
Piper made a move to leave, but Paige stopped her, placing a hand on her arm. "I just want to watch tv for a little while before I fall asleep. Would you mind staying?"  
  
It was funny how sometimes, even adults still had remnants of childhood tucked away in the recesses of their mind. Piper figured that Paige must've sounded like that many years ago on nights when dreams were restless and monsters lived under the bed. And it made her wish, not for the first time, that she could've experienced that childhood with Paige.  
  
"Sure, honey. Scoot over."  
  
Paige complied and felt comfortable enough to lean her head on Piper's shoulder, idly watching as reruns of The Simpsons served to elicit a faint chuckle from her. She soon drifted off, and Piper flicked off the tv, standing up to get a blanket, and then paused a moment to look at her sister who today, was one year older. It was amazing really.  
  
She placed the blanket over Paige and then laid beside her, soon following her sister into a dreamless sleep.  
  
**********  
  
The sun hit her face and eased her into a pleasant consciousness. This time, however, it wasn't 3 a.m. It was 9:00 and the fuzzy cobwebs had eased from her mind, replaced by energy and joy and excitement.  
  
She heard Piper and Leo talking faintly in the kitchen as Piper prepared breakfast.  
  
Standing up, Paige moved towards them, not getting very far as she was suddenly attacked from the side by Phoebe, who enveloped her in a tight hug.  
  
"Oh, my baby sister's growing up. Happy Birthday! Another year older, Paige. How does it feel?"  
  
Paige smiled and chided her sister gently, "It would feel better if I could breathe."  
  
Phoebe pulled back quickly, then slapped her sister's arm playfully at the gleam in her eyes. Paige quickly hugged her again.  
  
"Thanks, Pheebs. I feel great today."  
  
Phoebe grabbed Paige's hand and walked into the kitchen, plopping the two of them next to Leo, who quickly moved to hug Paige.  
  
"Happy Birthday, Paige."  
  
"Thanks, Leo."  
  
Piper placed a plate in front of everyone and, with an arm around Paige, said, "Well, it's getting redundant, but Happy Birthday."  
  
Paige smiled through her mouthful of eggs. "Thanks, you guys."  
  
"Well, it's your birthday, so what do you want to do today?"  
  
Paige set her fork down. "I have no clue. Um..."  
  
Phoebe interrupted, "Well, we planned on having your party tonight. Piper baked the cake and the presents are properly hid. We figured we'd have it around six tonight that way you could eat your favorite dinner. So, until then, the day is yours."  
  
Paige stood up quickly. "Well, I want to go shopping. Come on, we're all going."  
  
Leo looked skeptical. "Uh, what kind of shopping did you have in mind?"  
  
"Books, movies, music...you know, stuff we ALL enjoy."  
  
Paige slipped on her sunglasses and laced an arm through Phoebe's as they packed into the car, heading anywhere that seemed right.  
  
After what seemed like forever in the traffic, Piper pulled in front of a music store that caught Paige's eye and the four exited the vehicle.  
  
Paige flipped through CD after CD, idly searching for nothing in particular. Phoebe, however, was intent on finding the latest CD released by...well, that weird band she'd just started listening to. Piper had headphones on and appeared to be listening to some jazz. Paige tapped Leo on the shoulder.  
  
"I'm gonna go buy us some ice cream from across the street. Be right back."  
  
Leo smiled and nodded. "No chocolate for me."  
  
Paige gave him a thumbs up and nudged open the door. Everything seemed too perfect and part of her was just waiting for something bad to happen. She wouldn't have to wait long as she soon realized.  
  
Paige had just stepped off the curb when a little boy raced into the street after a ball he'd lost. Too young to realize his error, he innocently picked up his ball as a car careened towards him. Paige darted towards the boy and pushed him out of the way just in time, however, no one was there to save her.  
  
People started screaming and Leo glanced out the door in disbelief.  
  
"Paige!" He shouted as loud as he could and raced out the door, followed by Phoebe and Piper.  
  
Leo knelt beside Paige, his hands shaking as he brushed a strand of hair from her forehead. A huge gash was bleeding profusely and he could tell, just by looking at her, that death was imminent. But he could do nothing...tons of people were gathered around. He glanced at Piper who tried freezing everyone, and found, to her alarm, that her powers weren't working.  
  
Panicking, she crouched down beside Paige and grabbed her sister's hand.  
  
In the distance, she could hear Phoebe sobbing as she yelled, "Somebody call an ambulance!"  
  
"Paige? Paige, honey, please, look at me." Piper's voice cracked a bit and she covered her mouth against the tears.  
  
Paige's eyes suddenly fluttered open, filled with pain.  
  
"Piper? Phoebe? Leo?"  
  
Phoebe took a spot near Paige now, her eyes filled with tears. "We're here, sweetie. Just hang on, okay?"  
  
"I c-can't. I'm sorry. I-I tried to move. I was stuck- I couldn't-couldn't- "  
  
Piper stroked her hair. "Shh, it doesn't matter. It's okay."  
  
She looked at Leo whose eyes held unshed tears. He shook his head at her. It wouldn't be okay.  
  
"Where's the damn ambulance?!" Phoebe's angered voice bellowed over the crowd. Just then, two EMTs rushed over, making the three of them move away.  
  
"She's not breathing," an EMT said. He reached for his kit, gathering the necessary equipment to resuscitate her.  
  
Phoebe buried her head in Piper's shoulder, unable to watch what she knew would be a futile attempt to save her sister.  
  
After 15 minutes, one of the EMTs stood up, a grave look in his eyes. The look that every family dreaded when they knew their loved one would know longer breathe, would no longer laugh, or smile, or simply live.  
  
Not one for pleasantries, he simply laid a hand on Piper's shoulder and said, "I'm sorry. We'll go ahead and transport her body to the morgue. Ah, there will be some paperwork to fill out-"  
  
Leo nodded, the only one of them functioning in a semi-normal manner.  
  
"Meanwhile, go home, rest, we'll notify you."  
  
Leo handled the details while Piper and Phoebe climbed numbly into their car. Their eyes were focused on their sister whose chest was no longer rising and falling, whose hands were no longer warm, whose life was no longer there.  
  
They couldn't think, couldn't function above anything but the barest human processes. They breathed because they needed to, their hearts still pumped, but inside, there was no feeling, there was emptiness.  
  
Leo climbed into the driver's seat and ran both his hands over his face, gripping the steering wheel.  
  
"She was going to get ice cream."  
  
Piper stared in front of her and numbly said, "Her birthday, Leo. Today was her birthday."  
  
The drive home was alternatingly filled with silence and muffled sobs.  
  
**********  
  
When six o'clock came, the silence ate at them more than ever. There would be no birthday cake with candles, no party hats, no ice cream, no presents, no laughs, no smiles, no hugs, no kisses...but worst of all, no Paige. No Paige ever again.  
  
Piper licked some icing off the cake. She had set it on the table, for what reason, she had no idea. Paige's favorite meal of a cheeseburger and french fries lay getting cold before her. She had made it, she had even set the gifts upon the table. Maybe she was hoping that there was still a chance all of this was some cruel joke and Paige, flaming-red hair, twinkling eyes and all would come walking into the kitchen, make a wish, blow out the candles, open the presents, and everything would be normal.  
  
But nothing would ever be normal again.  
  
Piper blew out the candles for a sister she'd never again see, a sister she suddenly ached for. She was tempted to open the gifts, but decided against it. They would remain as they were: unopened, untouched, waiting.  
  
"Happy Birthday, Paige."  
  
The silence greeted her.  
  
Phoebe's sobs could be heard from upstairs and she had no doubt Leo was where he had been an hour ago: sitting on the couch, staring, thinking, remembering.  
  
Something happened then, everything froze, except her.  
  
A figure, robed in a hooded cloak appeared before her. Piper stood up, ready to freeze it, whatever it was, and scream for help.  
  
The demon pulled the hood away to reveal a face that was surprisingly human.  
  
"You can't freeze me, Piper. And they can't hear you scream. It's just you and me."  
  
The demon sat across from her, reaching out to grab one of Paige's presents. Piper's eyes filled with rage.  
  
"Don't you touch that! It doesn't belong to you. It belongs to-"  
  
"Paige, yes, I know. I know full well who she is. I should, shouldn't I? Because I killed her."  
  
Piper's eyes flared again. "What?!"  
  
"Yes, now calm down. I have things to tell you that you'll want to hear."  
  
"I'm a demon, of course, but not just any demon. I pick people, at random, and basically destroy their lives. But, the twist, I have a unique way of destroying their lives. See, if I want to destroy you, Piper, I don't kill you, I take away something very precious to you, and that, Miss Halliwell, destroys you and countless others far more than any death could."  
  
"Why?"  
  
The demon smiled. "Why? Why do you ask such a stupid question. There never needs to be a why. There's just a how and a when and a what, you get the picture. Now, the real game begins."  
  
Piper looked disgusted. "Go away. You've taken away one of the most important people in my life. You couldn't possibly say anything I want to hear."  
  
"That's where you're wrong, my dear. How about this: I'll give you three chances to save your sister."  
  
Piper's head shot up and she wiped the tears that had started falling down her cheek.  
  
All she could manage was a faint, "What?"  
  
The demon folded its arms across its chest, smiling with a cocky, knowing grin. "Yes, that's right. I, Tahl, the demon who can inflict so much pain, so much suffering, can also grant you the chance to right a wrong."  
  
"Why-why would you do that?"  
  
"My dear, I've been at this a long, long time. No one has succeeded, and it's been my experience that watching your loved one die a terrible death not once, but three additional times serves to torture you much more."  
  
Piper glanced at the demon, Tahl, for a moment, waiting...for what, she didn't know. "Paige said she-she couldn't move. That she felt glued to the spot. You did that, didn't you?"  
  
He smiled again, proud of his feat. "Of course. My plan had to succeed, didn't it?"  
  
He stood up then, pulling his hood back over his head. "Now then, you will sleep tonight. When you wake in the morning, your sister will be alive. But, she will die again unless you figure out a way to stop it. Remember, you have three days, but only three days. Save her if you can. But, if you fail, then when the sun sets on the third day, whatever has happened will be as it is, and the way it stands for all eternity. What has transpired between us can be kept only between us. If you tell another, or if you tell Paige, then all will be forfeit. Three more tries, Piper Haliwell..."  
  
With that, he was gone, his shrill, raspy voice haunting her mind.  
  
Piper shakily stood, walking towards Leo whose head shot up with concern at her face.  
  
"Are you okay?"  
  
He stood and rubbed his hands down her arms. She wanted to tell him, so badly, but not now, maybe not ever.  
  
"I'm going to bed, Leo." She kissed him and held to him tightly for a moment before walking upstairs, past Phoebe who had finally cried herself to sleep.  
  
Piper paused at the doorway to Paige's room and stood there for a moment, hesitant, afraid. Paige was everywhere here, in the walls, the windows, the bed; everything she touched and breathed and felt.  
  
Piper crawled into the bed where the sheets were still messy and Paige's scent lingered on the pillows. Piper pulled one close and cried there until she fell into a restless sleep.  
  
**********  
  
TBC... 


	2. Part 2: Day Two

Thanks for all the reviews everyone, I appreciate them a lot. I'm glad you're liking the story. Enjoy this next part and let me know what you think!  
  
Part 2: Day Two  
  
*~*~*~* "To have a loving relationship with a sister is not simply to have a buddy or a confident -- it is to have a soulmate for life."  
  
Victoria Secunda *~*~*~*  
  
She slipped outside her bedroom, carefully, quietly, hesitantly. Part of her wanted to stay in that bed forever, because she knew, without a doubt, that a piece of her had died yesterday along with her sister. Part of her had just ceased to be. It surprised her in some ways, and yet, not. This sister that she had at first been afraid to love had burrowed her way into Piper's heart. Perhaps the fear that she would lose Paige inhibited her, at first, from accepting her.  
  
But time, it seemed, healed everything. Loving Paige was easier than holding her at arm's length, and Piper knew, that if she never saw Paige again, she'd regret only one thing: she had never said the words, "I love you."  
  
Maybe they were superficial and maybe love wasn't something you could always, or ever, for that matter, put into words. But then again, there were times when doubts ate at your heart and the words were more of a comfort than anything.  
  
As Piper padded slowly down the hallway in her barefeet, she listened intently to the silence surrounding her. Little noise penetrated the hallway, save for the quiet breaths of Phoebe and Leo. But there was only one breath she cared about hearing at this moment, and the fear swelled inside of her as she neared Paige's bedroom.  
  
She feared that the familiar form of her sleeping sister, her face pressed into the pillow, her leg dangling precariously from the bed, would be gone, leaving nothing but an empty bed, a hollow room, and a lonely house.  
  
Piper couldn't make out a distinctive shape and she wondered if the demon had even come at all. Perhaps she had imagined it; hope that there was still one chance to keep her sister with her fueling that part of her mind where there were always happy endings to every story.  
  
As she crept closer to the bed, her hands began to shake and she held her breath as she reached out, longingly, desperately searching for some sign that her sister was indeed here.  
  
She quietly gasped as her hand came in contact with the soft, tousled hair, and she stroked it gently, tears welling in her eyes.  
  
Tahl had kept his word. Her sister was here: whole and alive and breathing and suddenly, nothing else mattered at the moment, nothing else in this world. Not demons or work or what was for breakfast or what she would wear today. All that mattered was Paige was here.  
  
With this sudden knowledge, Piper slid in next to her sister carefully, wrapping her arms around her. Today, she knew, Paige would die. She would die again and again and again and if she failed, there would be no more chances, no more happy endings; there would simply be nothing.  
  
Paige began to stir and Piper glanced at the clock, seeing the time was 3 a.m.  
  
Yesterday, Piper had found her sister in the kitchen making hot chocolate at this hour, sleep eluding her. For the moment, Piper whispered comfort into her sister's ear, hoping to dispel whatever nightmares clung to her brain.  
  
Only one thing mattered today: keeping Paige alive. She wasn't sure what to do, but the need to protect her baby sister ignited a spark within her and she knew, beyond a doubt, that nothing would keep her from saving this life that lay innocently wrapped in her sister's arms.  
  
**********  
  
She placed the plate before Paige, wrapping an arm around her shoulders much as she had done yesterday, whispering a sincere, though somewhat strained, "Happy Birthday," and took a seat next to her, needing to be near her at every moment. She wondered, for a moment, that if she took her eyes away from her for a brief second, she'd simply vanish.  
  
Vaguely, she heard Phoebe and Paige discussing what they wanted to do today, and all she could really discern was the moment Paige mentioned shopping.  
  
Without thinking, Piper shouted, "No!"  
  
All eyes, naturally, turned to her, confusion at her outburst written across their faces.  
  
"Piper, it is Paige's birthday, you know, I think it should be up to her-"  
  
Piper forced a nervous smile and clumsily responded, wanting desperately to tell them what haunted her, wanting them to remember the pain they had all felt yesterday, wanting not to be the only one burdened with this: the fate of her sister's life.  
  
But, all she could manage was, "I-I know, I just thought, you know...maybe it would be nicer if we just stayed at home. But- it is your decision Paige."  
  
Paige, still confused by her sister's outburst, seemed to sense, on a deep level that something was troubling her sister, something she couldn't share, but it seemed important to her that they not go out and Paige complied, smiling, knowing that her birthday could still be special celebrated at home with the ones she loved the most.  
  
"No, I think that's fine. We could- I don't know, watch movies, play games, whatever. Just being with you guys is fun enough for me."  
  
Piper choked back tears again at the simple statement, grasping Paige's hand and squeezing for dear life.  
  
**********  
  
The day progressed very simply and casually, though unbeknowest to everyone else, Piper was on edge the entire time, waiting for something, anything to go wrong.  
  
The three sisters were flipping through an old photo album and Phoebe excused herself for a moment to get a glass of water. Out of nowhere, a demon attacked, flinging Piper against the wall and knocking her out before she had time to react.  
  
Phoebe was silenced equally as quickly and the demon whipped around, stabbing Paige through the middle of her stomach with a long sword before she could even react. She immediately collasped, consciousness fleeing her before she could call for Leo, who was down the street buying food for dinner.  
  
Upon entering the house, he dropped his bags and ran to Piper, the first person to catch his eye. She sat up immediately and the first words to leave her mouth were, "Paige! Where's Paige?!"  
  
No major injuries, save for a small bump on the head, Piper stood easily and quickly, frantic to find her sister, who, she noticed with growing alarm, had not yet answered.  
  
Leo was assisting Phoebe and Piper moved into the living room, a crumpled form catching her eye.  
  
She shut her eyes against the pain and sank to her knees beside her, throwing her arms up in defeat. The sobs came then and she didn't fight them. She had failed; her job was to protect this precious person, this sister who meant so much to her. It was futile to call for Leo; breath ceased to escape from Paige's lips and her chest no longer rose and fell.  
  
Piper heard footsteps behind her. Phoebe's gasps and sobs broke her heart and she watched in pain as her younger sister collapsed as well, pulling Paige close and rocking her lifeless body.  
  
Piper wished she could think of something to say, but, no words escaped her. Perhaps it was selfish on her part, but she thought then, of how lucky Phoebe and Leo were. Though their grief at this moment would be great, and they would feel, for the rest of the day, an almost unimaginable amount of pain, it would last simply until midnight. Then, she knew, tomorrow would come, and Paige, thankfully, would be alive again, and also, thankfully, Phoebe and Leo would have no knowledge of Paige's death.  
  
But Piper would be forever haunted. If she succeeded in saving Paige, she knew a part of her would always be stuck in this moment, this horrifying moment where time stopped and death was lingering, taunting her, taking from her, once again, a person whose life meant more than her own.  
  
Leo, too, kneeled down beside the lifeless body, his eyes haunted, shattered. It was a sight, Piper knew, she would never forget. His shaky hands reached out to Paige's wound, desperate to heal her. For a few brief seconds he held it there, hovering, and finally released, his hand covered in blood. A tear escaped from his eye, slid down his cheek and splashed onto his hand, taking with it a tiny bit of the wet blood.  
  
He looked up at Piper, whose eyes mirrored his own. Besides the pain, she could see the worry he had for her; worry that she wouldn't survive this death. And, truth be told, that under normal circumstances, she just might not have survived. But these were different times, different circumstances, and there was a chance for redemption, a chance to save the life who held, in her heart, the very fabric of her sisters' being.  
  
Leo stood then, numbly, reaching to help Phoebe up, who refused the assistance, reluctant to leave the spot she vacated. Still clutching Paige's cold, lifeless hand, Phoebe looked to Piper and uttered a shattered, broken, "Why?"  
  
Piper leaned down and stroked Paige's hair, tears still escaping her eyes. "I'm going to fix this, Phoebe. We're not going to lose her." Placing a gentle kiss on Paige's forehead, Piper stood up, furiously wiping the tears from her eyes and, with a conviction that surprised even her, she said, "We can't lose her."  
  
Phoebe looked worried, afraid for her sister. "Piper, what-"  
  
Raising her hand, she halted further discussion. "I can't talk about it right now, Phoebe. Just trust me. Everything's going to be okay, I promise."  
  
Though she wanted to believe it with all of her heart, part of Piper also didn't truly think everything would be okay. But she had to be strong, had to have faith.  
  
If she stopped hoping for one second that this story would have a happy ending, then she truly doubted making it through until tomorrow. Hope was what she clung to, because without it, she was truly lost.  
  
**********  
  
She stroked her finger over the glass, leaving small, almost miniscule streaks. She imagined a time, perhaps...40 years from now, when she could sit in this very room, on this same couch, but not alone, of course; instead, surrounded by the most important people in her life: Leo, Phoebe...and Paige. Paige, of course, because, when all of this was over, there would be no more days when waking up in the middle of the night would be a scary prospect because she'd no longer have the presence of her youngest sister.  
  
No...see, the prince always got the princess, Cinderella got her glass slipper, and Paige would simply live, and go on living until her hair was gray and her bones ached and her voice had that high pitch rasp that seemed to accompany old age. Because they were all going to grow old together, looking at old pictures, remembering, telling stories, spoiling their grandchildren.  
  
But for now, it was just a dream; just an illusion that she clung to with enough ferocity to be dangerous. Piper stroked the glass again, determined as hell to preserve that family smiling back at her through the frame. Those smiles would be seen again...there would be many more family pictures, many more laughs, and tears, and everything that meant being alive.  
  
The air grew cold and the night grew dark and she knew tomorrow was near. She feared the unknown, but she was ready to face it, she had to be.  
  
**********  
  
TBC... 


	3. Part 3: Day Three

Part Three: Day Three  
  
She laid a hand against Paige's cool forehead. Innocent in her sleep, Piper felt an overwhelming urge to keep that picture in her mind forever because there was only one day left; only one day and a fear rose in her heart and ate at the hope slowly slipping through her fingers.  
  
Paige's chest slowly rose and fell as she lay stretched out upon the couch. Phoebe quickly, yet quietly hurried down the stairs, laying her head on Piper's shoulder and wrapping her arms around her older sister as Piper stood there, watching, always watching Paige. Phoebe smiled and Piper faked a smile back at her, wishing with all her heart that she could tell Phoebe.  
  
Piper's eyes held a sadness in them that Phoebe couldn't remember seeing since...since Prue died. It was strange and it worried her. Phoebe took Piper's hand and led her sister, protesting, into the kitchen, speaking to her in hushed whispers.  
  
"Piper, what's going on?"  
  
Piper folded her arms and looked down, desperately trying to hide the truth shining through her eyes. If she could just lie and smile and fake a normalcy she knew wasn't there, if she could just make it through this day without saying goodbye to her sister again, then everything, she knew, would be all right. But she couldn't tell, or all would be forfeit, and the secret was haunting her each second.  
  
"Nothing, Phoebe, really. I just- I don't know, maybe I'm nostalgic, wishing we could've known Paige when she was growing up. I guess her birthday's just a reminder of the past we never had with her."  
  
It was good, she knew. Not far from the truth at all, for that matter, so it was easy to pretend that only this simple matter was troubling her, while deep inside, something far worse was the cause of her pain. Phoebe couldn't know this, however; she never could. But it was enough, and Phoebe's sad smile convinced her that she had at least succeeded in keeping the truth from her sister. If nothing else, at least she had that.  
  
Taking her older sister's hand in comfort, Phoebe said, "I know, Piper. I think about it too. But we can't change it, so we just have to build on what we have now, in the present, and the future we will have. Come on, smile, be happy. Let's spoil her, huh?"  
  
Piper tried to smile, but it wasn't something that came easy lately. Phoebe's excitement and enthusiastic affection over their little sister did nothing to ease her pain and as Phoebe gently woke Paige up, hugging her, kissing her cheek, laying beside her as they talked about what Paige wanted to do today, the ache in her heart only increased.  
  
Phoebe would be devastated again, and she would watch it again, but Phoebe's pain would go away tomorrow. For Piper, however, it would always be with her, and it was something she wondered if she'd ever truly get over.  
  
**********  
  
"Really, Piper, I think I'm quite capable of driving myself to the store and buying groceries on my own."  
  
Piper gripped the steering wheel and smiled with a conviction she really didn't feel at the moment.  
  
"I realize that, Paige, but I figured, you're going out to buy food for dinner tonight and I haven't shopped in a while anyway, so what the heck, we're killing two birds with one stone."  
  
Piper glanced at the clock again for, what Paige noted, was the third time in less than five minutes. This time, however, a visible sigh of relief escaped Piper's mouth and Paige studied her sister for a moment before speaking.  
  
"Piper, um...is something wrong?"  
  
"No, why would you think that?"  
  
"Well, maybe just the fact that you've been looking at the clock frequently and I was just-"  
  
Piper waved her hand, dismissing further comments. "It's nothing. I was just, I don't know, making sure we would have enough time to cook dinner and open presents, you know...just making sure we had time."  
  
Time. That elusive, nightmarish presence. Time was what she needed most right now, and time was what she had precious little of. Reaching out to squeeze Paige's hand, Piper smiled and attempted to reassure her.  
  
For the past two days, Paige had died between 4:00 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. and Piper's relief was due to the fact that the clock now read 5:00 p.m. and no sign of danger was upon them yet. Maybe she had finally done it; maybe she had truly saved her sister. It was almost too good to be true and, she would soon realize, it was just that.  
  
"Piper- I love you."  
  
It startled her for a brief moment and Piper memorized the way Paige's voice sounded as she spoke the words with an ease that seemed to indicate she'd been saying it her whole life. It couldn't have been more natural, more appropriate, more important. The words stopped being words and suddenly became an essential part of what Piper realized her whole life was about. Her husband, her sisters- this sister sitting in front of her that she was fighting desperately to keep with her just one more second.  
  
She forgot for a moment life and its hardships, forgot for a moment that burden she'd been carrying around; all she could think of, all she could focus on, was that at this moment, Paige had uttered words she'd never before said with a beauty that made them truth.  
  
Piper realized then just how important Paige really was to her and suddenly remembered that her focus these last few days had been in preserving Paige's life, not in actually making her life worth living. She remembered how, that day that seemed ages ago, Paige had been unsure, uncertain of her place in Piper's heart.  
  
It couldn't be put off any longer. Piper, kissing Paige's hand, and continuing to grip it tightly, opened her mouth to speak words she had trouble forming over the lump in her throat.  
  
"Paige, you have to know-"  
  
Any further professions were cut short as a car ran the red light at the intersection just as Piper drove under the light. Going too fast, the car slammed into the right side of the car, pushing it for quite a few yards and sending the two occupants into peaceful oblivion.  
  
**********  
  
Darkness enveloped her, causing a panic to well inside her for a brief instant. Then the room came into focus slightly, and she pinched her eyes against the bright lights of the hospital room. Coming into focus, she glanced around the room carefully, suddenly aware of the painful bump adorning the left side of her head.  
  
A vague memory came back to her: a car slamming into them, her head being knocked against her door, Paige screaming, then nothing.  
  
Paige screaming. Paige!  
  
Piper shot up fast, worry and panic and fright written across her face. Leo, who had been dozing slightly in the chair next to her bed, gently pushed Piper back down onto the bed, stroking her hair, trying to calm her.  
  
"Sshh, it's all right Piper. It's okay. Do you remember what happened?"  
  
Piper touched a hand to the gauze covering her head wound. "Yes. Where's Paige?"  
  
Leo gripped her hand tightly and looked down, afraid his eyes would betray a truth none of them wanted to hear.  
  
"Leo? Where's Paige?" Piper implored, this time, more forcefully.  
  
Suddenly, the door to her room opened and Phoebe walked in, barely holding herself upright. Her entire body seemed to be devoid of anything that would constitute life and the only indication that she was, still in fact living, was the mere presence of her chest rising and falling.  
  
She sank into a chair next to Piper, covering her face with her hands, sobbing into them. Finally, she looked over at Piper and Leo and really, nothing more needed to be said. Her eyes spoke everything and one thing was clear: a part of their existence had just died.  
  
Piper's eyes welled up and she felt an overwhelming sense of defeat come over her. She had only one more chance and truth be told, she had no damn idea what to do.  
  
Overwhelmed with the grief and the lingering pain from the accident, she slipped into a restless sleep.  
  
**********  
  
It was dark once again, but this time, a chill came over her as she awoke. A chill that was all too familiar.  
  
She sat up and jumped as she came face to face with the demon, Tahl, who had inflicted this suffering upon her.  
  
"Tsk, tsk, Piper Halliwell, you almost got yourself killed along with your sister. We wouldn't want that now, would we?"  
  
Piper sagged against her pillows, tears streaming freely from her eyes. "It doesn't matter anymore. I'm going to lose Paige like I lost Prue and I can't take it. Honestly I can't."  
  
The demon folded his arms over his chest. "Now, what kind of talk is that? You still have one more day left. One day can change a lot. Or not. The choice is yours. The path is yours. You alone can change the future. You alone can save your sister."  
  
Before she could ask anymore questions, he disappeared.  
  
Tomorrow would be her last chance and she hoped against all hope that she could save her sister. The alternative was simply unthinkable.  
  
**********  
  
TBC...  
  
So, did you like it? Feedback please! 


	4. Part 4: Day Four

Thank you to all my reviewers for your praise and encouragement. You truly motivate me. Glad you enjoyed the story so far, and hope you enjoy this last and final part!  
  
**********  
  
Part Four: Day Four  
  
*~*~*~*~*~* "You can't think how I depend on you, and when you're not there the color goes out of my life."  
  
Victoria Woolf -- to her sister *~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Piper shuffled down the stairs, pausing briefly as she heard Paige clutter around the kitchen much the same as she had done the last three days. It was a noise she wanted to cling to and remember, and she closed her eyes against the emotions that swelled within her at this most desperate moment in her life.  
  
She hung to the rails of the staircase, gripping tightly, never wanting to let go. It was easy to wish she could journey away from this place, away to a dream where everyone was happy and Paige and Prue were alive and would be forever.  
  
But the enchantment was fleeting, the spell of idyll whimsy broken by a reality she wished would just go away.  
  
This was her last chance, she knew. There would be no tomorrow, there would simply be nothing.  
  
Gathering what little strength she still had in her, Piper staggered down the last few steps and walked up behind Paige who had yet to notice her sister. Piper wanted nothing, needed nothing more at this instant, than to just hold her warm, breathing, very much alive baby sister.  
  
To Paige's momentary surprise, Piper came up behind her and wrapped her arms around Paige's shoulders, not intending to let go, or for that matter, loosen her grip for quite some time.  
  
"I've missed you so much, sweetie."  
  
Paige patted her sister's arms and smiled, gently twisting out of Piper's embrace to meet her eyes. She was confused, to say the least, by this statement, but knew, whatever the reason for it, Piper had good cause to say it.  
  
With a shaky hand, Piper reached up to briefly stroke Paige's cheek and closed her eyes for a split second against her tears.  
  
She opened her eyes again and spoke with a broken, quiet voice; one haunted with age and trials and a grief unimaginable.  
  
"You're the most beautiful thing in the world to me right now, you know that? Just- you're just here. Please don't ever go."  
  
It was a feeble request, Piper knew, but one she felt the need to say anyway. Paige's response was all the more heartbreaking.  
  
"I'm not going anywhere, Piper. Not for a long, long, long time. Until I'm an old granny and you hit me with your cane cause my teeth fell into your tuna noodle casserole again."  
  
They both laughed and Piper spoke again, "I don't know where you come up with these things."  
  
Piper grabbed her sister's hand and led her into the living room, sitting her on the couch and wrapping a gentle arm around her shoulders, fully intending to finish the talk they'd started three days ago.  
  
"Oh, and for the record, I'd never make tuna noodle casserole." Piper winked at her sister and then spoke, more seriously this time, "So, what's got you up at three in the morning, missy Paige?"  
  
Paige looked down now, suddenly reminded of her insecurities, her doubts; wringing her hands nervously, she thought of where to start, what to say. Paige leaned her head against the couch and sighed. "It was just this completely irrational fear I had of being...well, forgotten, I guess you could say. Not needed, just a replacement."  
  
For a moment, Piper sat stunned, then began processing what her sister had just said. It hurt her that Paige, this wonderful person that had entered their lives, had been filled with doubt for...God knows how long. As the oldest, she felt guilt wash over her. She should've reassured her, hugged her, told her she loved her sooner, much sooner than this. She had intended to yesterday, but...a shudder went through her at the memory.  
  
Facing her sister now, Piper knew berating herself for what she couldn't change wouldn't make it better. But fixing it now would.  
  
She layed a hand on her sister's cheek once more, stroking it gently, filled with an enormous amount of love and pride and need to protect this being that had become so precious to her.  
  
"Paige, listen to me. It wasn't easy when we first met you. The circumstances...well, I think at the time I was wrapped up in so much: losing Prue, meeting you, dealing with Phoebe and Cole, I forgot that you weren't just always our sister, that this was new for you and you needed to know you were wanted. I didn't do that and I'm sorry. But you need to know that I love you. I love you so much and I'm grateful you came into our lives. I'm grateful every single minute of my life." She leaned forward and softly kissed Paige's forehead.  
  
It was something Piper realized she'd been wanting to say since this entire ordeal had begun. She had felt, in her heart, the need to reassure and ease the doubts she knew Paige had been feeling, if only for the simple fact that the end of this journey might not be the happy one she wanted.  
  
Paige smiled and hugged Piper tightly, grateful for the love she'd been given.  
  
"I love you, Piper."  
  
Those words again. The last words Paige had spoken to her yesterday. It was a reminder that time was slowly waning and the hour of death was near.  
  
**********  
  
After an hour of old reruns and silly cartoons, Paige had slipped off into a peaceful sleep, comfortable with the blanket and pillow her big sister had provided. Piper, knowing full well that sleep was not an option anymore today, seated herself in a chair opposite the couch, getting comfortable for the next few hours she intended to sit there.  
  
Nothing, absolutely nothing, was going to touch her baby sister while she was there. No more games, no more defeats. Losing was not an option.  
  
She opened the photo album she had brought with her when retrieving a blanket and pillow, flipping through the pages with a mixture of happiness, longing, and sadness. There were old pictures, but mostly, this particular album was filled with pictures they'd taken within the last year.  
  
Phoebe and Paige spraying each other with the water hose; Phoebe and Paige pillow-fighting; Phoebe and Paige hugging each other; Piper and Phoebe hugging; the three of them hugging. She came to the last photo then, one she'd forgotten had been taken. It was a picture of Piper sitting on their couch with an arm around Paige who sat next to her, huge grin on her face, resting her head on Piper's shoulder with both arms wrapped around her sister's.  
  
Piper smiled and stroked a finger over the photo. Funny how pictures could mean so much. They held, in their depths, a person's memories, a person's past, a person's whole life.  
  
Piper looked up at her slumbering sister and whispered to the darkness, "I won't let them have you."  
  
**********  
  
"Happy Birthday to you. Happy Birthday to you. Happy Birthday, dear Paige, Happy Birthday to you!"  
  
The family clapped as they finished singing to Paige who merely rolled her eyes in amusement. Piper felt mixed emotions: extreme joy that this had finally come; they were able to celebrate Paige's birthday. But she also felt worry at the danger she knew was imminent, waiting to take Paige again, this time for good.  
  
Pushing aside her worry for a few moments, Piper retrieved a party hat and placed it on Paige's head, doing the same for herself, and indicating to Leo and Phoebe to follow suit.  
  
Paige closed her eyes for a second, making a wish, and then blew out her candles in surprisingly one breath.  
  
Phoebe, too excited to wait, quickly grabbed the present she had bought Paige and rushed over to her, kneeling beside her as her sister taunted her, taking her time to unwrap each corner of the paper.  
  
"Oh, just rip it open already, brat!"  
  
Paige swatted her softly and then ripped off the remaining pieces quickly, smiling at the gift laying there: a framed collage of each Halliwell sister from birth, through childhood, to adulthood. Paige smoothed a hand over the glass, emotions swelling within her, preventing her from speaking just yet. She set the large frame on the table and reached out to envelope Phoebe in a tight hug.  
  
It was simple, but a gift she treasured already.  
  
Piper moved to give Paige her gift, when all hell suddenly broke loose. Two demons burst through the door, attacking Phoebe and Leo first, then moving towards Paige.  
  
Piper darted towards her sister, intending to protect her from whatever lay ahead. Instead, the two demons grabbed the sisters and orbed them out of the manor directly into what appeared to be a cell, landing hard on the floor.  
  
"Why did you bring us here?" Piper demanded, standing protectively in front of Paige.  
  
One of the demons smirked, replying, "For your baby of course. We intend to find out everything we need to know. We have our ways." He left, a threat of danger hanging in his wake. Piper knelt down beside Paige, who was afraid, but determind as well.  
  
"I won't let them hurt your baby, Piper."  
  
Piper gathered her sister towards her and replied, "It's not the baby I'm worried about right now."  
  
******  
  
Piper curled into a tight ball in the darkness, imagining all the possible scenarios, trying to block out the screams coming from her sister in the next room. There had to be a way out and she intended to find it.  
  
After what seemed like hours, a beam of light drifted into the room and one of the demons walked in, half-supporting Paige whose torture had drained her of any energy. She was barely conscious, though in a great deal of pain. Piper stood up quickly, grabbing her sister as she was released. Gently sliding the both of them to the floor, Piper held Paige tightly to her, stroking her sister's hair as her head rested in her lap.  
  
"P-Piper..."  
  
"Shh, I'm here, sweetie. Nobody's going to hurt you any more. I'll protect you, I promise I will. I promise."  
  
Paige weakly lifted a hand, which Piper grasped tightly and squeezed in gentle reassurance.  
  
"Piper, please don't be sad...I-I'm not gonna make it, " Paige weakly croaked out, her injured lungs making it hard to breathe.  
  
"Don't talk like that, Paige. You're going to be fine."  
  
Silence filled the room then, save for Paige's whispered wheezing as her lungs fought for precious hair. She knew she was getting worse, she could feel her broken ribs pierce her lungs, felt the blood rise through her air passages as she began to bleed internally. She feared for Piper, who, she knew, would not survive the loss of another sister.  
  
Piper continued stroking Paige's hair, leaning down to kiss her forehead.  
  
Paige spoke again, after an eternity, and whispered a sad last request, "Will you sing me my song, Piper, please?"  
  
Piper glanced down at her sister, horrified at this statement, because she knew, beyond a doubt, it meant goodbye. Paige had once told her what her favorite song as a child had been; the song she loved to hear most as night drew near and sleep beckoned the weary.  
  
"It's n-not goodbye, it's s-see you later, " Paige wheezed once more.  
  
Piper nodded and began to cry as she sang the song of twilight, "Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high, there's a land that I heard of once in a lullaby. Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue. And the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true."  
  
Her voice broke with emotion and she looked down at Paige who had stopped breathing. Piper screamed and shook Paige, willing her sister back to life.  
  
"Wake up Paige! Dammit, wake up! Don't you do this. You saved me, Paige. You saved me the moment you came into my life. You can't leave me now. I'll die, I can't do this, Paige."  
  
She rocked her baby sister, alternating between screams and sobs until she whispered brokenly once more, "I can't lose you."  
  
A swirl of wind blew around her then and Tahl appeared, dressed in his robes, arms crossed in front of him.  
  
"You failed, Piper Halliwell. Your sister is dead. This is the future you will know, the future as it will stand forever. Pity, really."  
  
Piper seemed to barely hear him. It didn't matter anymore, as far as she was concerned.  
  
A thought suddenly occurred to her and she spoke, desperation in her voice, "If I offer myself in exchange for Paige, will you take me instead?"  
  
The demon looked taken aback for a moment and dropped his arms in thought.  
  
"A trade, then? Hmm...you're certainly not the first to offer this, nor the last. And it never ceases to amaze me about you humans how willing you are, at the end of this journey, to die for your loved one. Is it true, then, the saying: you never know what you have until it's gone?"  
  
Piper looked up, slightly confused, but answered, "Yes. I-I guess that's what it took to realize how much I really needed Paige. I love her. So please, take me instead."  
  
The demon knelt in front of Piper then and pulled his hood away from his face, revealing a surprisingly kind face.  
  
"You've won, Piper Halliwell. You realized, at just the right moment, that giving your life for another is the most noble thing you can do. You realized what you needed to realize: that your sister must be cherished because she won't be around forever. You will live, your sister will live. Today will continue, tomorrow will be a new day. A new day...with Paige. Be thankful for this gift, Piper Halliwell, it won't come again."  
  
He stood then, pulling his hood over his head again.  
  
"What about the demons that took us?"  
  
"They were my creation. They're gone now, you needn't worry."  
  
Piper looked away for a moment, then said, "I-I don't understand. And what kind of demon are you?"  
  
"Life's not meant to be understood, Piper, only lived. As for what kind of demon I am...I will say only this- sometimes there's two sides to a person. Now go, live, love." With that, he was gone.  
  
Paige began to stir in Piper's arms and Piper sat her up, stroking her cheek as she checked for wounds. Her sister was still not all right, but the life-threatening injuries were gone. Piper still wondered how they would get out as their magic would not work within the cell.  
  
Suddenly, a light came over them and they orbed out, back in the manor.  
  
Phoebe ran towards them, engulfing her sisters in hugs, then stepping back in horror as she saw Paige's injuries. Leo rushed forward as they laid Paige on the couch, healing her multiple wounds and soothing her as he did so, eliciting a few tired smiles from the confused, but thankful, birthday girl.  
  
Phoebe took Piper's arm and led her away.  
  
"Piper, what the hell happened?"  
  
Piper, her eyes never leaving Paige, replied, "I learned a lesson today, Phoebe. I learned to never take someone for granted."  
  
Piper walked away and sat next to Paige, kissing her forehead and stroking her sister's hair.  
  
"Piper, what happened?" Paige asked, drowsily.  
  
"Shh, it's not important right now, sweetie. Just rest. Everything's fine now, I promise."  
  
Paige nodded and allowed her eyes to drift close.  
  
Piper stood up, whispering, "I love you," once more before she left her sister to sleep peacefully.  
  
**********  
  
The sun warmed her face and eased her into a welcoming consciousness. It was a new day. A new day. Her thoughts immediately drifted to Paige and she bolted out of bed, hurrying down the hall into Paige's room.  
  
Paige stood, hanging the framed collage Phoebe had given her for her birthday.  
  
Piper smiled and sighed with relief. It wasn't just a dream; Paige was still here...all was as it should be. Paige turned around and smiled at her sister, beckoning her into her room. Piper did so, suddenly spying the unopened present on Paige's bed. It was from Piper.  
  
"You didn't open it yet, " Piper said, indicating the present.  
  
"Oh yeah, well I wanted to wait until you were awake. Well, you're here now, so I'll open it."  
  
The two sisters sat on Paige's bed as she unwrapped the tiny gift, revealing a small gift box. Paige lifted the lid and gasped at the tiny locket. It was simple, delicate, and beautiful.  
  
"Put it on me, please."  
  
Piper smiled and obliged, clasping the necklace around her sister's neck. The chain glittered in the sunlight as it rested against her skin. Paige reached for the heart-shaped locket and opened it to reveal the contents. Nestled inside was a picture of Leo, Piper, Phoebe, and Paige all seated on their couch, happy, smiling; on the other side was a simple picture of Prue. Paige's eyes watered up. She turned the locket over and the tears fell freely as she read the inscription.  
  
"To my baby sister: chance made us sisters, hearts made us friends. Thanks for teaching me how to live. Your sister forever, Piper."  
  
Paige wiped her tears and hugged Piper tightly, who returned the hug.  
  
"And you put all my favorite people in it. I'll wear it all the time, right next to my heart. Thank you, Piper."  
  
Piper hugged Paige once more and whispered back, "Thank you, Paige." The sun rose higher as morning fully bloomed. The world began to awaken and truly, a new day had dawned.  
  
**********  
  
THE END  
  
Thanks for all the truly wonderful feedback and encouragement. It helped me tremendously to keep writing. So, should I write another story soon? 


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